DIMITAR Berbatov has revealed his Champions League humiliation has made him determined to stay at Manchester United and prove himself all over again.

Dimitar Berbatov has defended his playing style and set his sights on another title []

Dimitar Berbatov was expected to quit Manchester United this summer after being axed from Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad for May’s European Cup final defeat against Barcelona.

Juventus, Paris St Germain and AC Milan have been linked with Bulgarian striker Berbatov, who is entering the final year of his deal at Old Trafford.

But he is convinced he still has a future at United – and believes leaving is not an option because it would be a backward step in his career.

“I don’t want to go back to that [missing the Champions League final]. It was what it was,” he said. “Now I am looking to the future. I was pretty happy we did the historical thing about the 19th title. I was part of it. I was the top goalscorer of the team. That was great.

“I am not afraid of the challenge. Of course it will drive me on. The good thing about football is that there is always next year. You can make things right.

The good thing about football is that there is always next year. You can make things right.

Dimitar Berbatov

“Obviously, Barcelona and Manchester United are the top teams in the world right now. Title No20 and the Champions League are the main priorities.

“In the end, what are Manchester United about? Winning everything there is to win. It is normal.

“Smaller clubs might be able to match United with the way they play, with their organisation, everything. But Manchester United are at the top. Where can you go from there? Only down. Maybe Barcelona.

“At the moment, I don’t see anything else. If you go somewhere it is a big step down. For me, I always went up in my career. I am happy.”

Berbatov shared the Golden Boot with Carlos Tevez last season after scoring 20 league goals. He is adamant he can go one better next season despite the fact he will find himself below Javier Hernandez in the pecking order.

“I am not 21 any more and there are many young and talented players now, including some from the academy,” said Berbatov. “But all my life I have tried to prove myself and I have worked hard. Given a chance, I have tried to show what I can do.

“The last season is in the past. The goals I scored, what I did, I have done it. This is a new season. It starts all over again.

“This thinking keeps me motivated and concentrated, not to allow myself to be satisfied with what I have already achieved.

“Next season I will have new goals to score, probably more than last season, and will aim to win everything there is to win.”

Berbatov feels that fans confuse his laid-back approach with a misguided belief that he does not care.

“I am a very proud person,” said Berbatov, 30. “I don’t like to show my weaknesses. I don’t want to show my emotions in public. That is why people probably sometimes misjudge me.”

The truth is that Berbatov wants to win. But he wants to win with style. Throughout his career, nobody has criticised his style of play. It was only after his arrival at Old Trafford, when demanding supporters watched him replace the obvious industry of Tevez, that the sniping began at a player Sir Alex Ferguson deemed worthy of a club-record £30.75million to prise him from Tottenham.

“I always play like this. That is what got me here,” he said.

“You are not going to see me puffing around the pitch. There is a saying at home in Bulgaria that great quality doesn’t require much effort.”

Despite the Champions League final omission, Berbatov experienced some dream days last year too. He became the first United player to score a hat-trick against Liverpool in 64 years, a tally that included a magnificent overhead kick, and the first non-Englishman to score five in a Premier League game.

“I didn’t know scoring three goals against Liverpool would mean so much to so many people,” he said. “Obviously three goals – and the second one was a bit special – it will stay in my memory for ever. And after that I scored five against Blackburn.

“What makes me proud is that there have been so many foreigners playing in English football, but I am the only one with five goals.

“But it is something I have to push to the back of my mind. Last season I had highs in my career. But what if we didn’t win the title? Then these things wouldn’t matter so much.”